Tire-chain.



F. A. FOX.

TIRE UHAIN.

APPLICIATION FILED an 11. 1908.

mm f H l- H w m I m ,4, mm F.m M a 7" m 51 6 1 4 F. 1% m1 I W. .M a f m w 2 P. A. FOX.

TIRE CHAIN.

APPLIGATIDN FILED MAY 11. 1908.

91 1,585. Patented Feb. 9, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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F. A. FOX.

TIRE CHAIN.

APPLICATION FILED Mn 11. 1908.

Patented Feb. 9, 1909. a SHEETSSHEET a.

W]- m k NORNt PEYERS INC LIYHO WAwwcmN D C UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIOE.

FRANKJL FOX, 0]? new YORK, N.,Y., ASSIGNOR T0 FOX METALLIC TIRE BELT COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. #1., a CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

TIRE -C HAIN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 9, 1909.

Application flied May 11, 1908. Serial No. 432,179.

and which device can be economicaligVand easily constrfijcted; and can be, rea tached to and detached from the tire.

In the accompanying drawings, re resenting embodiments of my invention, igi re 1 is a plan view of a lportion of the armor. Fig. 2 is a longitudina view of one of the link blanks. Fig. 4 is a onthe line 7 7 indicated in ig. 6. Fig. 8

is a planof another form of marginal link. Fig. 9 shows a portion of a modified form of armor. Fig. 10 is. a section on the line Ills- 10. indicated in Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a plan 1 view of one of the links of this modification.

Fi 12 is a sectionon the line 12- 12 indicated in-Fig. 11;. ,Fi 13 indicates in f lan one of thermal inal ooks of this modi cation. Fig. 14 s an elevation of the link shown in Fig. 13. Fig. 15 shows another form of marginal link in plan. Fig. 16is a section on the line 1616 indicated in Fi I5. Fig. 17 is a plan viewof the under si e of therarmor; and Fig. 18 shows in side elevation aportion of a wheel and tire with the armor attached thereto.

The armor is shown as composed of a number of links extending in longitudinal yerse sectioned the, line with t 2+2 indicated in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 IS a plan with hook portions on two adjacent sides, and on the two opposite sides are eye portions that are enga ed by the hook portions of the respective a( 'acent longitudinal and transverse links. lint with the marginal links, obviously one of the transverse connecting members can be omitted. On one side of the armor, thehook member is omitted, while on the opposite side, the eye memher is omitted. I V

In the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive, also in Figs. Hand 18, the links are shown as com rising a single integral member compose of a substantially annular flat body portion 12 having projecting from two sides to ace Band 14;, preferably extending at right angles. On the Opposite sides ofthe annular portion are eit tensions forming eyelets and having. trans- 1portions 15 and 16 for enga ement e hook portions of the two ac jacent links. The tongue portions 13 and 14 are bent upon themselves as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, to form hooks 17 and 18 Which hooks engage the eye portions 15 and 16 of the respectlve adjacent links, as shown. But the" marginal links on one side have the ton no 13 omitted, as shown by the links 19 in Figs. 9 and 8. 0n the opposite side of the'chain,

the links 20 have the eye pQI'lZlOIIlG omitted.

'lhe hook portions are not closed down tight over the eye portions butprovide a loose joint in the nature of a hinge joint,whereby the armor will conform to the convex surface of the tire. e

To insure the hook portion against being mashed down by the weight of the vehicle thereon, a lrg portion is provided at the free end of the hook, that will serve to form a closed eye. In the construction shown in Figs. 2-8, the lrg portion is formed by bending the end of the hook members 13 and 14 at 21 as indicated in Figs. 2, 4 and 7. T his is referably done before the hook member is ent upon itself as shown in Fig. 4.

member and prevent its closing down upon itself. i The eye portions 15 and 16 are preferably bent upward at their transverse portion as shown in I" 2 so that the transverse portion engage in the hook will lie above the plane of the body ortion of the links, and thereby the lower ace of the links will lie substantially in the same plane.

In I i 9-15, is shown a modification in which t e h g for supporting the end of the hook is formed by providing extensions 22 and 23 on the narrow art 0 the body por tion 12 of the link whic extensions are bent u wardly as indicated in Big. 10 to engage t 1e extremity of the hook portion when bent over.

"I he hook portions are preferably first bent over but not closed down on the hnk leaving suflicient space to thread the eye portion of the adjacent link on the hook. lhese are assembled in this manner ,in longitudinal rows and also connected in transverse rows to provide a sufficient width to the chain; four rows having been found a practicable number, but a greater or less number can be used if desired. 'lhe-marginal links on one side have the second hook member omitted, while the marginal links on the other side have the second eye member omitted as has been set forth. Preferably the chain is formed of sufficient lengthto encircle the tire and the two ends are ermanently connected together. All of t e links are preferably formed with a small amount of play in the plane of the link, so that the armor can beplaced over the tire in its normal inflated condition, and then the sides are pressed down to eng the tire, theplay in t e link permitting the side links to approach each 0t er slight y on account of the reduced diameter at thispart of the tire An suitable or desired means can be employe for securing the armor to the tire, referably by means engaging the marginal inks that are shown as rounded on their outer portion. In Fig. 18 the armor is shown as connected with a cable 25 by short chains 26 at suitable intervals such as each alternate side link. lhe cable 25 may be adjustably secured by means of turnbuckles 27.

It will .be observed from Figs. 10 and 2 that the armor has a comparatively flat surface on its lower side where it engages the tread of the tire, and the links being flat instead of rounded, will not tend to unduly compress the tire or be forced into it. On its tread surface the armor will be seen to be rovided with a number of lug portions ormed by the upper bent over ortion of the hooks 17, that proiect beyon the body portion 12 of each link. These will serve to engage the road by considerable friction and prevent slippage of the wheels. As the hooks extend both longitudinally and transversely, they would prevent slippage in both e the curved tread of directions, the side edges of the hooks effectually preventing the skidding of the wheels.

It will be seen that armor of this character can be very economically and readily constructed, as the links are practically identical except that the outer links have a less number of hooks or eyes, and that the three forms can be stamped out of sheet metal, and then the tongues and eye portions readily bend u to the roper shape for engagement wit the at jacent ones. And after assembled it is only necessary to force the hook portions down to their proper positions when the armor is complete; and this is facilitated by the fact that it is formed in a fiat condition and a single piece to be afterward joined at the ends by simply engaging the four hooks at one end with the four eyes at the other and then closing these hooks. The armor when detached will lie com aratively flat and can be readil carried for ture use. And when desire can be very easily attached to the tire. While having a com aratively flat under surface engaging the tire yet the open portions of the link will have sufficient frictional engagement with the tire to prevent slip age of the armor with the tire and will not be entirely dependent on the fastening means of the armor to the tire.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. Anti-skid attachment for tires, comprising links having a substantially flat base and provided with integral eye portions, and integral hook portions engaging the e e portions of adjacent links, the hook portions beyond the joint extending substantially parallel with the base and offset therefrom to form the tread portion of the device,-the links having integral portions supportingthe hook extensions.

2. Anti-skid device for tires, comprising links having flat bases and provided with integral eye portions and integral hook portions en'raging the eye portions in adjacent similar links, the hook portions beyond the oint extending substantially parallel with the base portions of the link, the hooks having an integral lug projecting downward to engage the base and support the hook extensions.

3. Anti-skid device for tires, comprising links having a substantially flat annular base portion extended at two sides to form transversely disposed eyes both bent upward from the base, the links having integra hook portions on the sides opposite the said eye portions respectively t lat engage the eye portions in adiacent s milar links, the hook portions beyond the IOiIltS extending substantially parallel with the base, the links hook portions.

enpsa B 4. Anti-skid device for tires, comprising links having a. substantially flat annular base portion extended at two sides to form transversely disposed eyes both bent u ward from 5 the base, the links having integra hook portions on the sides opposite the said eye ortions respectively that engage correspon ing eye portions in adjacent similar links, the l hook portions beyond the joints extending g substantially amllel with the base, the 10 hook portions aving integral portions projecting down to engage the base and supporting the hook portion.

FRANK A. FOX.

Witnesses:

W. A. MALoNn, FRED. J. DOLE.- 

